Construction of alpha reenforced concrete dam



March 8, 1932. H. soRENsEN CONSTRUCTION OF A REENFORGED zCONCRETE DAM Filed March 5, 1931 INVENTOR Patented Mar, 8, 1932 lUlSlflrlezDs'rA'rlas PATENT orFicE:

-HENRY rSOIIRJEN'SJN, OF SAN FRANQISGO, CALIFORNIA.

CONSTRUCTION:or` Apre-REENFORGEID CONCRETE DAM' Applicationv filed March 5,

j I have described my invention in the folf lowing specification Yand yitsaccompanying j dra-wings.

In the drawings VFig. 1 illustrates my invention applied to horizontally placed reinforcements.

Fig. 2 is an enlargement of Fig. 1 taken' at Fig. 3 is a plan view of Fig. 2. Fig. 4 is the enlargementv of a reinforcement connection. Fig. 5'is the `enlargement of a tensioning device and a reinforcement gripper. l

Fig. 6 illustrates my inventionapplied to vertically placed reinforcements. j

Fig. 7 is a section taken at 7-7-on Fig. V6. 'FigS is a modified structure. 25 Similar numerals designate similar parts.

Numeral 1 designates anchors. 2 designates bedrock. 2a the walls of a canyon. 2b a vertical damunit base. 2c a horizontal dam unit base.VA 8' designates the, tensioning device. l designates a unit of the dam. 5 designates struts. 6v designates reinforcements. 6a designates heavy lreinforcement stubs. 7 designates va yreinforcement gripper.; 7a designates reinforcement 'connections. 8,9, 10 and 11`are parts of tensioning device 3.v 12, 13, and 14a are parts of gripper 7. 14 are reinforcement wedges. 15Y designates concrete. n 16 are corrugations in reinforcements 6. 1 17 designates casings. 18 designates braces. 19 designate/s brace wedges. 20 are temporary openings. '21'designates strut wedges. 22 is a loop. 23 is a loop wedge. Dealing with the partv 2-2 Fig.'1, an enlargement of which is Fig. 2,- while 3 is a plan view of Fig. 2,-I first erect the vertical base2b on horizontal basev2c, which is rrestingfon bedrock 2. Anchors 1 are cast in base 2? and protrude on'both of its sides. After concrete 15, in base 2b, yis hard, I attach theone end Vof reinforcements 6 to the pro- 1931. n Serial No. 520,427.

truding ends of anchors 1 by means of connections 7a. l

I may make connections 7a in any other suitable manner,'but I have, herein, shown 7a consisting ofan elongated forged Steel ring large enough to hold the two ends of reinforcements 6 and one ofthe ends of anchorsl'. These ends of reinforcements 6 and anchors 1 have split ends into whichI drive wedges 14, after these ends of 6 and 1 are i placed throughelongated ring connection 7a, the end of anchor 1 being placed between the two ends of reinforcements v6. -The one of the two reinforcements 6, whose ends are held by connection 7a, stretches out horizontally, while the other ofthese two reinforcements 6, is bent to connect up with the horizontally extending reinforcement 6, which i'sattached to the adjacent anchor 1. This adjacent anchor 1 has its two reinforcements 6 attached to itself in the same way as I have just now described, and the bent reinforcement 6,-o-f this second pair of reinforcements 6,-is connected up with the lhorizont-ally extending reinforcement 6-of the' first described pairs-in the same manner as above described. The connection between the horizontally extending and the bent reinforcements 6 takes place in the following manner: Between the two ends of these reinforcements 6 I place stub reinforcement 6a, and these two reinforcements 6 and stub 6a. are then held together by elongated ring connection 7a, as above described, wedges 14 having been driven into the split ends of 6 and 6a. 6a now takes the place of anchor 1. I prefer to give 6a the combined size of thetwo reinforcements 6, besides giving anchorsl the same size as reinforcement 6a. In Fig. '3 I lhave shown str-ut wedges 21,which, besides serving the purpose of a strut adjuster, may also be used as the means to enable struts 5 to be removed, to which I will make reference below.

In Fig. 4 I have shown an enlarged illustration of the connections 7a between reinforcements 6 and 6a, which I have just now described. The arrows indicate the direction of the tension, to which I will make reference below. It will be understood that wedges 14 firmly lock the ends of reinforcements 6 and 6a together.

I next place struts 5 on braces 18, so that struts 5 are in line with the horizontally extending reinforcements 6. Struts 5 are placed on both sides of the formations of 6 and 6a, which I have just now described. The one of the ends of struts 5 butt up againstbase 2b, while tensioning device 3 is placed against the other ends of struts 5. Tensioning device 3 is held in place by means of other braces 18, and I may use wedges 19 to adjust the height of braces 18.

Fig. 5 is an enlargement of tensioning device 3 and reinforcement gripper 7, connected up to stub reinforcement 6a. Tensioning device 3 consists of beams 8, which are held-suitably spaced-together by means of bolts 9. The one side of t-he flanges of beams 8 butt up against the ends of struts 5, while the other sides of flanges 8 contact washers 10. Washers 10, in turn, contact nuts 11. The one end of reinforcement gripper 7 is threaded to fit nut 11, and is screwed into nut 11 between beams 8, while its other end has inwardly slanting openings 13, against which wedges 14 can operate. Vedges 14 have grooves adapted to grip reinforcements 6a. In order to save metal I prefer to give 7 an elongated box form with openings 12 on all four sides. c

I have above described the manner in which I attachthe one end of stub reinforcement 6a to the two reinforcements 6, by means of c0n nections 7a, and I now connect the other end of 6a to reinforcement gripper 7 by inserting 6a between the two wedges 14.

After that is done I inject initial tension into reinforcements 6, 6a and the protruding ends of anchors 1 by tightening nuts 11. The strut action of members 5 holds the tension in reinforcements 6 and 6a as well as in the ends of anchors 1.

In the manner which I have just now described, viz :-by having the one end of a reinforcement 6 attached to the one of anchors 1, while that saine reinforcement 6 is bent to have its other end attached to the one end of another reinforcement 6, the other end of which is connected to a different anchor 1,-I obtain initially tensioned triangular shape formations of reinforcements 6. These initially tensioned triangular formations, which are rmly held together, prevent concrete 15 from slipping on the steel and clamp concrete 15 together.

I now place casings 17 between struts 5 and the tensioned steel 6, 6a and 1, letting that part of stub reinforcement 6ta-which is attached to gripper P',extend through the end casings 17.

I next pour concrete 15 around the tensioned steel 6, 6a and 1, and after that corcrete 15 has set I remove tensioning device 3,

by first loosening nuts 11, also removing struts 5, side casings 17 and braces 18.

The strut action of members 5, which has held the tension in steel 6, 6a and 1, then becomes transferred from members 5 to the hardened concrete 15.

I now fill openings 20 with concrete 15, and when the concrete 15,-which is filled in the openings 20,-has set, I remove the end casings 17.

Fig. Billustrates that which I have described above.

The ends of stubs 6a now extend from that part of dam 4 which is finished. These extending ends of stubs 6a are now used, instead of anchors 1, for the extended parts of unit 4, this finished part of unit 4then acting as the base for the yet unfinished parts of unit 4. y

c--c and 'i-z', in Fig. l, illustrate fragments of the finished unit 4 and its base 2b, while j-j illustrates another fragment of dani unit 4, which are being added to the finished unit fragment c-c and In /c-c I have shown tensioning device 3 left embedded in concrete 15, which I prefer to do, in some cases, when the ends of unit 4 are completed. In this case I use stub 6a, instead of gripper 7, to connect steel 6 with tensioning device 3. 6a then having a threaded endtliat fits nut 11. When constructing this last part of unit 4 I let casings 17 extend to the end of tensioning device 3, in order to enable struts 5 and braces 18 to be removed,-after concrete 15 has set,-in the 1 manner which I have previously described. 0n Fig. 3 I have with dotted lines indicated the extended casings 17 to which I have just now referred, I remove struts 5 by knocking down wedges 21.

The dotted lines, above c-c, i and j-j, indicate the continuation of unit 4, which go upon the lower parts of unit- 4, after these lower parts are finished.

The units 4, and their base 2b, stand vertically, side. by side, reaching across the canyon between the canyon walls 2a.

In Fig. 6, which illustrates my invention in place ready to receive concrete 15, I have shown my invention applied to vertically tensioned reinforcements. Anchors 1 are here shown secured to horizontal base 2c. Reinforcements 6 are attached to anchors 1, by means of connections 7 a, and tensioning device 3 operates in the same manner, as previously described, upon reinforcements 6, 6a and anchors 1. Strut members 5 are placed standing, having their lower ends resting upon base 2c, while their top ends contact tensioning device 3, and casings 17 isolate struts 5 from concrete 15. A fra ent of concrete 15 is shown on both of the sides of Fig. 6, with the end of reinforcement 6a extending above concrete 15 on its one side. This extending end of 6a is used, in place of llU then becomes transferred to concrete 15.

vanchor 1, as the attachment for reinforcen 8 extend laterally, in their relation to the tension in reinforcements 6, these beams 8, when left in concrete l5, exercise the same clamping together action upon concrete 15,*-

besides preventing concrete from slipping on steel 6,-which-the previously described triangular formations of steel 6 do. In Fig. 8 I have shown reinforcement 6 made out of one longrod doubled together in itsmiddle, so that each ofthe reinforcements 6 consist of a double rod having at its one extreme a loop 22, while its other extreme consists of two ends, which are attached to anchor 1 by means of connection 7a in the manner as previously described.` Struts 5 are placed intermediate beams 8 and base 2b as also previously described. The looped end 22 is thrust between beams 8, and wedges 23 are f driven through loop 22 and against those flanges of beams 8, which are opposite to they other flanges of beams 8, that contact strut members 5. yCasings 1'? are placed between steel 6 and strut members 5.

When wedge-s 23 are driven reinforcements 6 and anchor `1 become initially tensioned. The strut action of members 5' hold the initial tension, which is injected into 6 and l. Concrete 15 is thereupon poured around 6 and 1. A fraction of concrete/15 is shown poured around the initially tensioned steel 6 and 1 as well as around part of beams 8 and wedges 23.k After concrete 15 has set into hard cohesion with 1 and6, members 5, braces 18 and casings 17 are removed by knocking down wedges 21. The strut action of members 5 The openings 20 are thereupon illedwith concrete 15 in the same manner as previously described. rIhe remaining part of beams 8 then becomes Vembedded in concrete 15, beams 8 forming a permanent part Vof the structure and clamping concrete 15 together,- to which I have made referencefabove,-due tothe fact that beams 8 extend laterally in the sists of layers, of the horizontally extending` reinforcements 6, one above the other and the base whole, or any part, Vof the dam mayrconsist of these units 4 as shown in Fig. 8. Any

vone ofthe units 4, herein described, may be given any desired width.

The main feature of my invention, herein, 10

consists in the arrangements of the initially p tensioned steel, which prevent the concrete 15 from slipping upon said steel, besides clamping concrete 15 together. I have shown that in two alternatives, viz :mlhe triangular steel f6 formations 6, and the laterally'extending` beams 8.

In my above referred to Patent No. 1,816,7927 I have described the advantages, which kI yobtain by transferring t-he strut action of members 5 over to concrete 15, afte" concrete 15 has become hard, besides the protection which the initially tensioned steel gives to concrete 15 against outside pressures.

Various modifications of structure maybe said reinforcements spaced and anchored to the ybase of said unit, the other ends of said reinforcements bunched together, a connec tion holding said hunched ends, said rein forcements initially tensioned by a device attached to said hunched ends, removable means contacting a .strut member intermediate said base and said device, concrete embedding said reinforcements, wherebyr the strut action'of said member may be transferred from said member to said concrete, after said concrete hasset into cohesion with said initially tensioned reinforcements.

2. In the construction of the unit of a reinforced co-ncrete dam, the combination of i a plurality of reinforcements the one ends of said reinforcements spaced and anchored. to the base of said unit-, the other ends of said reinforcements hunched together, a connection holding said hunched ends, said reinforcements initially tensioned by a device attached by removable means to said hunched ends, a

rstrut member intermediate ysaid base and said device, KLand concrete embedding said reinforcements, whereby the strut action of said after said concrete has set into cohesion with said initially tensioned reinforcements.

3. In'they construction'of the unit of a reinforced concrete dam, the combination of a plurality of reinforcements the one ends of said reinforcements spaced and anchored to the base of said unit, the other ends of said reinforcements hunched together, a connection holding said hunched ends, said rein-V forcements initially tensioned by a device attached by removable means to said hunched ends, a'strut member intermediate said base and said device, concrete embedding said reinforcements, and removable means isolating said member from said concrete, whereby X n the strut action of said member may be trans- J 35.' ferred from said member to said concrete, by

removing said device and said member, after said concrete has set into cohesion with said initially tensioned reinforcements.

4. In the construction of the unit of a rein- U forced concrete dam, the combination of a plurality of reinforcements the one ends of said reinforcements spaced and anchored to the base of said unit, the other ends of said A reinforcements bunched together, a. connection holding said bunched ends, said reinforcements initially tensioned by a device attached to said hunched ends, a strut member intermediate said base and said device, concrete embeddingr said reinforcements and kri said device, and means whereby said member may be removed after said concrete has set into cohesion with said initially tensioned reinforcements, so that the strut action of said member may then become transferred to said 5 concrete.

5. In the construction of the unit of a reinforced con'crete dam, the combination of the one end of a reinforcement anchored to the base of said unit, said reinforcement initially w tensioned by a device attached to its other end, a member adapted to strut said device aga-inst Said tensioned reinforcement, concrete embedding said reinforcementand said A device, said device connectible with adjacent reinforcements by extending into said concrete in a lateral direction from said reinforcement, and means whereby said member may be removed after said concrete has set into cohesion with said reinforcement and 10 said device, so that the strut action of said member may then become transferred to said concrete.

6. In the construction of the unit of a reinforced concrete dam, the combination of the one end of a reinforcement attached to the base of said unit, a tensioning device attached to ythe other end of said reinforcement, a Wedge adapted to initially tension and lock said reinforcement to said device, a member adapted to strut said device against said tensioned reinforcement, concrete embedding said reinforcement and said device, said device connectible with adjacent reinforcements by extending into said concrete in a lateral direction from said reinforcement, and means whereby said member may be removed after said concrete has set into cohesion with Said reinforcement and said device, so that the strut action of said member then becomes transferred to said concrete.

HENRY SORENSEN. 

